Stilt



Jai.. 4, 1927.

1,613,535 1 B. ROOT STILT Filed March 27, 192e f z 7 2.9 LZy/QZ IN1/mma,

A TTORNE Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES@ LLOYD B. ROOT, 0F NORTH TONAW'ANDAj NEW YORK.

STIL'IK Application filed March 27, 1926. Serial No. 97,914.

This invention relates to walking stilts and has for its primary object,the general improvement of the construction oi' such articles in suchmanner as to make them easier and `more comfortable to use and improveth-e strength and durability otl the same.

The invention contemplates the provision of a pair ot' supportingmembers having straight lower portions which converge and are securedtogether at their lower ends while the intermediate portions ot 'themembers and the upper ends of the straight portion are held in spacedrelation by a pivot member upon which a toot rest is pivotally lmounted. The upper portions of the members are curved in the samedirection and when applied b-ear against the users leg in such a manneras to assist the user in maintaining his equilibrium under allconditions. An auxiliary supporting member depends trom the frontportion ot the underside or' the foot plate and the other end of thesupporting member is pivotally attached to the front portion of a treadplate, while the oonvergent ends of the supporting members are pivotallysecured to the rear of this tread plate member. Improved jointconnections between the pivotally connected parts of the members :terman additional feature of the device as does also the particular mannerin which the tread plate of the stilts is formed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the'following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with theunderstanding that the invention is not confined to any strictconformity with the showing of the drawingl but may be changed andmodified so long as such changes and modifications mark no materialdeparture 'from the salient features ot the invention as expressed inthe appended claims.

ln the drawing Figure l shows in front elevation the stilt embodyingthis invention, the same being adapted for use upon the right side.

Figure 2 shows the stilt in side elevation, showing` in dotted lines themanner in which a users toot and leg is secured thereto.

Figure 3 is a section taken upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2 lookingupwardly.

Figure 4 shows in bottom plan the bottom plan of the tread plate, of.the stilt,

Figure 5 shows in side elevation a modiiication ot the pivotalconnection between the foot rest and the front or auxiliary supporttherefor.

Figure 6 shows in 'front elevation the modified joint referred to inFigure 5.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wher-ein like numerals oit'reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several Mewsshown, there is indicated generally by the numerals l and 2 the innerand outer supporting members respectively, of a right stilt, oit thetype embodying this invention.

The description'is here confined to the showing ot one stilt only, thesame being adapted to be us-ed upon the right side but it is ot courseunderstood that the stilt to be used upon the left in cooperation withthis one shown, is an exact duplicate of the one described with thesingle exception of the upper portion of the members l and 2, in whichlcase these :portions will be curved in the opposite ldirection to themembers here shown.

As is clearly shown in Figure l each ofthe members constitute twodistinct portions, the straight relatively heavy low-er portions 3 and 4and the lighter curved upper portions 5 and 6, respectively. The upperportions l5 and (i, as shown, are cur-ved or bowed both in th-e samedirection, which is toward the outer side ot the stilt shown.

The free or lower ends of the portions 3 4 converge as shown and arebrought together and held by the screw bolts 7. The upper ends of themembers 3 4 or that part lying between the members 3 4 and the members 56, which is indicated by the numeral 8, are held in spaced relation bythe combined spacing and supporting pin 9.

The bolts 7 which secure the lower ends ot the members 3 and 4 togetheralso serve to secure against the outer side of each of these members thehinge plate l0 the lower end of which plate extends a substantialdistance beyond the ends oi the members 3 4 and these lower ends areapertured and the inner tace of each of the plates has formed thereonabout the aperture an inwardly extending boss l1.

Positioned between the portions 8 of the members l, 2, is a foot rest orsupport indicated generally by the numeral `12. The rear or heel portionof this foot rest 12 has formed transversely of the underside thereofthe hinged knuckles 13 .through which lthel pivot supporting pin v9passes thus pivotally securing the toot plate 12 at its rear, betweenth-e members 17 2, in the manner shown. An upstanding flange 14 istermed about the heel portion et the toot plate 12 and from this flangethere extends, from each end, a rear toot strap portion 15 which strapportions are adapted to be secured over the instep of the user oft thedevice.

' Adjacent the toe end of the toot plate 12 is a shoe clamp formed oi' apair ot Vclamp members 1G which are adapted 'to engage the edges of thesole ot a. shoe while the inner ends or these clamps are down turned andin spaced aligned position as indicated at 17'and provided with threadedapertures therethrough. e.' right and lett hand threaded bolt 18 engagesin the apertures in these spaced portions 17 ot the clamp to draw theclamp members together. fl. central bolt guide and supporting lug isindicated at 19, completing the clamp structure. As will be readilyobserved this clampstructure is substantially the same as that used uponthe ordinary skate.

Secured to the underside of the toot plate 12 rearwardly of the shoeclamp above described, in such position as to lie beneath the ball ofthe users foot, is an inverted substantially U-shaped member 2O the sidelegs or ear portions 21 ot which are apertured to receivethe pivot boltor pin 22.

Associated with the front portion ot the foot plate 12 is an auxiliaryfront supporting rod The upper endet this rod 23 is apertured andprovided with a bearing sleeve through which the pivot bolt 22 eX tendswhen the apertured end is positioned between the ears 21. members 23 isalso slotted to receive one end ot a rlink 24 as shown.

A tread plate is indicated generally at 25. This tread plate isrelatively long as is shown and has a broad tread surface covered by a.non-slipping surt'acing material 2G such as rubber or other apin'oprialesubstance. rlhe tread surface ot the plate 25 is divided into threeportions. the intermediate portion 27 being relatively that. and lyingbe-l tween the pivot points l) and 22, the rear portion lying betweenthe points 28 is slightly curved upon an are struck from the pivot l)and the `forimrd iliortion lying between the points 29 is curved upon anare struck trom' the pivot point 22. Thus when the stilt is in use thecurved end portions oit the tread surface ol the plate make the use otthe saine easier than would be the case iii the plate were fiat and theinterino te portion 2T being relatively flat makes it easy 'tor the userot' the stilts to stand as the tread plates will naturally come toY restupon this intermediate relatively latportion. Further. the tread surfaceot' the plate is at an angle with the top or in other words the innerwall The lower end of theV of the plate is of less height than the outerwall to enable it to come to rest flat upon the surface 27 as otherwiseproper positioning oit the tread plate would not loe had, because oitthe outward curving or" the stilt against the leg.

The apertured lower ends of the hinge plates 10 are positioned one oneach side et the rear portion of the tread plate 25, the

bosses upon the inner faces of the plates 10 acting as bearings againstthe sides ot the plate. A securing pivot pin or bolt 30 secures thesemembers in position.

There is eut into the top ot the plate 25 at the 'liront thereof therecess or socket 31. lnto this socket there is extended the lower end otthe link 24 through which the pivot bolt extends. The other end of thelink engages the member 23 as described above and shown in the drawing.

Attached to one ot the members 5 or 6 as at 39, is a legengaging strap40,the strap having secured thereto at the point where it ittaches tothe member of the stilts, the ring 41. considerable length of the freeend ot the strap 40 is reduced to provide the narrow strap 42 and whenthe broad strap 40 is passed aboutV the leg of the user of the stilts,after being placed between the members 5 and 6, the narrow stra-p 42 hasi its end passed through the ring- 41 and reversed or passed back overitselt and the Jtree end of this strap is then passed through the buckle43 which is carried by the broad strap 40 and lies on the other side otthe stilt from the ring 41, when the strap is in use. The upper portionsot the members 5 and 6 are thus held securely against the sides of thelegs ot the user.

The inodii'ication shown in Figures 5 and 6 has to do with the method inwhich the upper end of the auxiliary supporting bar 23 is hingedlyattached to the plate 12. in this construction the upper end ot thesupporting bar 23" is provided with a slot or recess thereacross asindicated at 33. which recess merges with the transverse aperturethrough the end ot the bar, into which a perture the sleeve 84 isfitted. There is thus formed at each end oi" the sleeve the upstandingears 35'. The central portion et the sleeve 34 has a transverse slot 3Gcnt therethrough which slet extends through substantially halic thedirnneter ot the sleeve and opens upwardly through the slot fll in theend et the bar 22%. The slot 36 is ot niaterially less width than theslot il?, in

the bar and there is passed over the sleeve on either side oi the slot36 the substantially U-shaped securing members 3l. The y-'ikes of thesemembers lie across the sleeve While the legs thereof pass downwardlyupon each side ot' the bar 23a. The; ie ends of the legs of the members3T are pointed and turned inwardly and `forced in- Gil lou

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to the body of the bar. Suitable binding thread 8S is then wound aboutthe legs of the member 37 to prevent the accidental displacement of thesame. This end of the bar 23a is not positioned or secured between theears 21 of the foot rest 12, but is carried by the bolt member 18 of theshoe clamp. When the end of the member 23a is positioned upon the bolt18 the supporting guide stud 19 of the bolt extends through the slot 36in the sleeve 34 while the ear portions 35 are arranged between theopposed ends 1T of the clamp members 1G and the adjacent faces of thest-ud 19. The bolt 18 serves the double purpose of shifting and securingthe clamp members 16 and also piif'otally supporting the auxiliarysupporting bar 23 in t-he manner shown and described.

From the foregoing description it will he readily seen that the hereindescribed stilt structure is of materially improved design, strong anddurable and of safe construction.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. A stilt of thecharacter described, comprising a pair of main supporting` membersconvergent at their lower ends and having their upper ends in spacedcurved relation, a tread plate, a foot rest pivotally secured at one endbetween said members intermediate the ends thereof, an auxiliary supportfor the forward part of said rest, and pivotal means connecting thefront and rear ends of said plate to said auxiliary support andconvergent members.

2. A stilt of the character described, comprising a pair of elongatedsupporting` members secured in spaced relation at their central portionsand secured in convergent contacting relation at oneend, the other endsof the members being curved alike toward one side, an elongated treadplate, a hinge joint between the convergent ends of said members and oneend of said plate, a foot 'support hingedly mounted at one end betweenthe members at their central point of connection, and an auxiliarysupporting bar pivotally attached at one end to the forward part of saidplate support and at its other end to the forward end of said foot.

3. A stilt of the character described, comprising a pair of elongatedsupporting members secured in spaced relation at their central portionsand secured in convergent contacting relation at one ond, the other endsof the members being curved alike toward one side, an elongated .treadplate, a hinge joint between the convergent ends of said members :rndone end of said plate, a foot support hingedly mounted at one endbetween the members at their central point of connection, and anauxiliary supporting bar pivotally attached at one end to the forwardpart of said foot support and at its other end to the forward end ofsaid plate, said plate having its tread surface provided with arelatively flat central portion and slightly curved upwardly at each endof said portion.

t. A joint in a device of the character set forth including a foot platecarrying a shoe clamp comprising a pair of clamp members having turnedopposed inner ends a draw bolt passing through said ends an a guide lugcarried by the plate between said ends, a supporting rod for the frontof said plate having one end transversely apertured and further having aslot formed in the end transversely of the aperture to receive said lug,a sleeve in said aperture through which said bolt is adapted to pass,having a transverse slot of less width than and opening into said irstslot to receive said lug, and a pair of strengthening substantiallyU-shaped members overlying said sleeve one on each side of the slottherein and having their legs secured to the rod.

In a stilt of the character set forth, a main supporting structure, aforward auxiliary support, a tread plate pivotally connecting betweenthe lower ends of said supports and having the front and rear portionsof the tread surface curved, and a foot support pivotally mountedadjacent its front and rear, on said auxiliary and main structuresrespectively, the arc of said curved front and rear portions beingstruck from the corresponding front and rear pivotal points of said footsupport.

(3. In a stilt of the character set forth, a main supporting structure,a forward auxiliary support, a tread plate pivotally connecting betweenthe lower ends of said supports and having the front and rear portionsof the tread surface curved, and a foot support pivotally mountedadjacent its front and roar, on said auxiliary and main structuresrespectively, the arc of said curved front and rear portions beingstruck from the corresponding front and rear pivotal points of saidtread plate support, that portion of the foot, lying between the curvedportions thereof being flat, and ofa length corresponding to thedistance netween the pivotal points of the foot support.

7. In a stilt of the character set forth, a main supporting structure, aforward auxiliary support, a tread plate pivotally connecting betweenthe lower ends of said supports and a foot support pivotally mounted onsaid auxiliary and main structures respectively, the front and rearpivots of said foot support being so located as to fall directly beneaththe ball and heel respectively of the wearers foot.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto,

.LLOYD B. ROOT.

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